The FBI is searching for Vanessa O'Rourke, 37, accused of faking a glioblastoma diagnosis and raising nearly $12,000 through a GoFundMe campaign by claiming she needed funds for cancer treatment and care in Australia. Indicted on 15 counts of wire fraud in 2018, she allegedly used the money for personal expenses and has been a fugitive since.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is actively searching for Vanessa O'Rourke, a 37-year-old woman from Pennsylvania, who is accused of fabricating a terminal glioblastoma diagnosis to defraud her family, friends, and numerous supporters out of thousands of dollars.
According to the indictment, from October 2015 through July 2016, O'Rourke falsely claimed she was suffering from a terminal form of brain cancer and urgently needed financial assistance for medical treatments, living expenses, and supposedly experimental care in Australia. She allegedly created a GoFundMe campaign that successfully attracted approximately 140 donors who contributed nearly $12,000, all under the pretense of funding her cancer battle.
Investigators assert that rather than seeking treatment, she used the donated money to fund a personal lifestyle, including travel to Australia that was unrelated to any medical care. She was indicted in May 2018 on 15 counts of wire fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and a federal warrant was issued for her arrest at that time.
The FBI emphasizes that the investigation remains active and O'Rourke continues to be featured on its wanted notices. Federal prosecutors have characterized her actions as preying upon the kindness and generosity of good people, describing the scheme as involving lies, greed, and callous manipulation. The FBI has appealed to the public for any information regarding her whereabouts, directing tips to local FBI offices or the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
It is important to note that the case gained broader public attention through media coverage, including a reference to an alleged ransom note in a separate investigation which was mentioned during a press conference by FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke, though that detail is not directly related to O'Rourke's fraud. The narrative also contains unrelated headlines about NHL legend Claude Lemieux and the ABC docuseries "Scamanda" which focuses on another fraud case involving Amanda Riley; these pieces are not part of the core story about O'Rourke and have been excluded from the substantive rewrite
Vanessa O'rourke Wire Fraud Gofundme Scam Fake Cancer Diagnosis FBI Wanted Glioblastoma Charity Fraud
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